03/01, 6:47pm

The slim phone is available two screen sizes

Alcatel has introduced the latest model in its OneTouch smartphone lineup, the Idol 3, which will be available in two screen sizes. Making its debut at Mobile World Congress, the Idol 3 features a unique 'reversible' function that allows users to take phone calls or navigate the interface when the device is upside down.

12/31, 9:17pm

Company indicates plans for brand name, though LG owns WebOS itself

Before smart watches, smart phones, tablets, and phablets, there were PDAs, the most popular of which were made by Palm, most notably the Palm Treo smartphone (or "proto-smartphone" as we might consider it now). Over time, it faded away (thanks largely to the technological leap of the iPhone) and was acquired by HP in a troubled sale. However, the trademark for Palm was recently sold to a company called Wide Progress Limited, owed by the CEO of Alcatel, hinting at a (brand name) resurrection.

10/24, 3:21pm

Tablet plans from MetroPCS include unlimited data, 4G allowances

MetroPCS is offering tablets on its service for the first time, and has introduced a new set of data-only price plans for the mobile devices at the same time. The first tablet offered by T-Mobile's prepaid brand, usable on the new tariffs, is the Alcatel Onetouch Pop 7, a mid-ranged Android tablet with a 7-inch 1024x600 TFT display.

09/30, 12:42pm

Alcatel is attempting to make the large-screen phablet useful to those wanting a smaller device, by bundling it with a secondary phone device. One of two new devices, the Pop Mega is a phablet with a six-inch display which Alcatel has paired with a small "Buddy" candybar-style accessory, capable of making and receiving calls without needing physical access to the main device.

09/10, 1:43pm

Budget Alcatel OneTouch smartphones go on sale at T-Mobile

Two more Alcatel OneTouch smartphones have surfaced, following its IFA launches with the pair of budget-priced mobile devices heading to T-Mobile. The Fierce 2 has a 5-inch 960x540 display and a quad-core 1.2GHz processor, while the lower-specification Evolve 2 has a smaller four-inch WVGA display with a dual-core 1.3GHz processor.

09/04, 4:18pm

IFA Alcatel OneTouch launches powered by octa-core processors

Alcatel OneTouch has increased its Hero device range by two at IFA, with a smartphone and a tablet joining the roster. The Hero 2 Android smartphone is powered by an octa-core 2GHz processor behind a 6-inch 1080p display, while the Hero 8 is a tablet with an eight-inch 1920x1200 screen, also backed by a MediaTek octa-core processor.

02/23, 6:58pm

Mid-range Alcatel smartphones tried out before Mobile World Congress

Earlier today, Alcatel launched a number of Android smartphones, including two new additions to its OneTouch Idol range of devices. At a pre-Mobile World Congress event, the manufacturer offered the media the chance to try the OneTouch Idol 2 and OneTouch Idol 2 Mini before the show formally opened. Electronista spent some time with both of the smartphones earlier this evening.

02/23, 6:58am

Successors to OneTouch Idol have 3G, LTE variants

Alcatel has revealed a trio of smartphones before Mobile World Congress, covering the mid-range and entry-level markets. The OneTouch Idol 2 and OneTouch Idol 2 Mini are mid-ranged devices that are new to the OneTouch Idol family of devices, while the addition to the Pop series, the OneTouch Pop Fit, is a miniaturized device with budget specifications, and accessories that allow it to be worn while exercising.

11/24, 4:43pm

Alcatel's Idol X+ sports octa-core processor

TCL Corporation, the Chinese company that licenses the Alcatel name for smartphones, has revealed that its forthcoming flagship smartphone will have an octa-core processor. The Idol X+ will be released as a collaboration between TCL and Chinese online retailer JD.com, though the release date for the device is as yet unknown. That octa-core chipset is said to be produced by MediaTek, and TCL is expected to pack the device with enough high-end tech in its other aspects to take advantage of the processing power.

09/25, 10:17am

Budget Android phones slated for October

T-Mobile has announced plans to launch two new Android handsets, Alcatel's OneTouch Fierce and OneTouch Evolve. Both are aimed at the budget market, though the Fierce represents more of a midrange offering with Android 4.2 and a 4.5-inch 540x960 display, 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM and 4GB of integrated storage.

09/06, 7:26am

Alcatel aims for the youth market with One Touch Pop C-series

Alcatel has continued with its hectic pace of smartphone announcements at IFA Berlin with the launch of its new One Touch Pop C-seriesentry-level to mid-range smartphones. In total, the new Pop C-series adds another four devices to its burgeoning portfolio with screen sizes ranging from 3.5-inches through to 5-inches. The new Pop C1, C3, C5 and C7 all run Android 4.2 and also come in a variety of colors designed to appeal to younger users.

09/04, 6:53am

Alcatel adds Evo 8HD to lineup, brings some unique twists

Following from its recent swathe of smartphone releases, Alcatel has revealed the One Touch Evo 8HD Android 4.2.2 aluminum-clad tablet. Helping to set the device apart from the crowded Android tablet space, the Evo 8HD uses a modular design that allows users who buy a Wi-Fi variant to later update it with either 3G or 4G cellular modules. Like its new One Touch Hero, the Evo 8HD also sports a new active Magic flip cover that integrates LED lights to display alerts when the cover is closed over the tablet.

09/04, 6:21am

Pico Projector, e-ink cover offered as accessories for new phablet

Alcatel has revealed two new additions to its One Touch line of smartphones. The One Touch Idol Alpha is a mid-ranged smartphone which uses light-up edges, while the One Touch Hero offers a large display, a substantial battery, and a number of accessories including an e-ink cover and a Pico Projector made specifically for the big-screen smartphone.

08/31, 5:36am

Alcatel completes revamped 2013 lineup with One Touch Idol S, Mini

Alcatel has rolled out a pair of new Android smartphones, the One Touch Idol S and the One Touch Idol Mini. The new 4.7-inch 720p One Touch Idol S sits below the recently launched Idol X, which centers on a larger 5-inch 1080p display. Rounding out the new One Touch Idol range is the Idol Mini, which centers on a 4.3-inch display with a 480x854 resolution.

08/23, 1:48pm

Alcatel working on successor to One Touch Idol X claims rumor

Alcatel is rumored to be working on a successor to the One Touch Idol X, shortly after its launch. The TCL N3, likely called the One Touch N3 outside of its native China, is shown in a render leaked by Chinese siteMTKsj.com to have a 5.7-inch 1080p display with minimal bezel. Internal specifications and a projected release date were not suggested in the rumor.

08/13, 5:20am

One Touch addition uses 13.1-megapixel camera with autofocus, LED flash

Alcatel has launched another smartphone in its One Touch line of devices. The One Touch Idol X follows on from the Idol, Idol Ultra, and Scribe HD by combining a 5-inch 1920x1080-resolution IPS display with a quad-core 1.5GHz processor and 2GB of RAM, all inside a body measuring 140.4mmx67.5mm (5.5x2.7 inches) and just 6.9mm (0.27 inches) thick.

07/30, 10:29am

Three to five similar deals to follow miniature base station agreement

Qualcomm has signed an agreement with Alcatel-Lucent to work together on creating small base stations for phone networks. The deal, which involves Qualcomm gaining a five-percent stake in Alcatel-Lucent in exchange for around 100 million euro ($132.8 million) in research funding, could help turn around the telecom equipment manufacturer's troubling finances.

07/01, 8:53am

Alcatel One Touch Fire, ZTE Open to initially launch in limited markets

The first two smartphones running on Firefox OS will soon be available to purchase by end users, with customers of Deutsche Telekom and Telefonica being among the first to get the devices. The ZTE Open and Alcatel One Touch Fire, both running Mozilla's open-source mobile operating system, will go on sale in Spain later this week, with the ZTE Open being sold by Telefonica for 69 euro ($90) tomorrow.

02/24, 4:34pm

One of first phones with Firefox OS

Mozilla was one of the first companies to hold a Mobile World Congress press conference, where the developer focused on its Firefox OS for mobile devices. Electronista had a chance to try out Alcatel's One Touch Fire, one of the first production devices to embrace the platform. The handset is clearly an entry-level smartphone, seated in a market suited for the fledgling OS.

01/07, 10:56am

One Touch Scribe HD first to use quad-core MediaTek processor

Alcatel introduced three new Android-based smartphones to its One Touch range at CES today, ahead of the show's opening day. Two of the Jelly Bean mobile phones, the One Touch Idol Ultra and the One Touch Idol, sport a 4.7-inch display, while the company's first "phablet" model, the One Touch Scribe HD, makes use of a larger 5-inch HD IPS display.

07/02, 1:05pm

Sprint, Telefonica, ZTE, Alcatel on board for HTML5 phones

In a post today on The Mozilla Blog, Mozilla confirmed that next year will see the launch of a number of phones powered by its Firefox operating system. The new operating system, built on Mozilla's "Boot to Gecko project," will run HTML5 apps and is aimed at furthering the development of that standard while providing a low-cost operating system for smartphones aimed at developing markets. The browser maker has teamed with a number of telecoms, including Sprint, Smart, and Telefica, as well as device manufacturers Alcatel and ZTE.

02/15, 5:25pm

Alcatel's touchscreen QWERTY OT-915 due in UK

French handset and tablet maker Alcatel will bring a new Android handset to the Mobile World Congress show this month. The OT-915 will run on Android 2.3 and sport a hardware QWERTY keyboard, ElectricPigrevealed. It also adds a 2.8-inch touchscreen with a 320x240 resolution and is an above-average 11.9mm thick.

05/27, 1:25pm

Alcatel OneTouch T60 tablet shows up at FCC

Alcatel will soon join the tablet market with an Android-powered device of its own, if a Thursday FCC test is to be trusted. What appears to be a seven-inch device, known as the OneTouch T60, will ship with Android 2.2. It will also connect to North American 850MHz and 1,900MHz networks.

12/30, 12:55pm

EU settles on micro USB for universal phone power

The European Union on Wednesday formally established its micro USB charging standard for phone charging. The approach proposed over a year ago will guarantee that phones and phone chipsets from at least 14 companies, including Apple, LG, Motorola, Nokia and RIM, will support charging over a micro USB connection without needing to switch chargers. The measure was implemented to cut back on both wasted chargers and to let users switch chargers without risking damage or undercharging.

11/16, 5:35pm

Simple Mobile launches in US

A new MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) launched today in the US in the form of Simple Mobile. The cell provider has its own pick of phones but emphasizes attaching the SIM card over its own devices; customers are encouraged to bring their own unlocked phones, including smartphones. About 180 phones have already been pre-screened, though it should work with other devices.

03/17, 12:35pm

Nintendo wins Fenner suit

A judge in a US District Texas court has put an end to a lawsuit filed by Fenner against Nintendo over a joystick patent infringement, EETimesreported on Tuesday. The lawsuit was filed more than two years ago, in January of 2007, and focuses on a patent Fenner says it holds that Nintendo allegedly violated with the controllers used in its Wii console and the older GameCube. The jury trial set to begin today was cancelled as Judge Leonard Davis in a Tyler, Texas court dismissed the case.